iPad Pro 12.9 Vs Google Pixel Slate 12.3: Summer 2019 Long-Term Comparison Review

Google's Pixel Slate and Apple's 2018 iPad Pro are radically different takes on the tablet. Over the long haul, one prevails.

Review backgrounder: I've used both the 12.3-inch Pixel Slate with Google's Slate keyboard and 12.9-inch iPad Pro (latest model) with Apple's Smart Keyboard Folio for about eight months.

Pixel Slate specs: Intel 8th Gen Core i5-8200Y processor, 8GB of memory, 128GB SSD, 12.3-inch "Molecular Display" (3,000-by-2,000 pixels, 293 ppi), 1.6 pounds. With Pixel slate keyboard: 2.7 pounds.

iPad Pro specs: A12X Bionic processor, 4GB of memory, 256GB flash drive, 12.9-inch display (2732-by-2048-pixels, 264 ppi), 1.4 pounds. With Smart Keyboard Folio about 2.3 pounds.

tl;dr:

The Pixel Slate works as a laptop because of an excellent optional full-sized backlit keyboard with trackpad and because of Chrome OS, which is closer to a desktop OS than Apple's iOS. The iPad Pro is a better pure tablet. This fall, the arrival of iPadOS (iOS 13) will make the iPad a better laptop replacement than it is now.

Note: Google says it will discontinue the Slate as well as future tablets and commit to laptop designs like the Pixelbook. We'll see. Google often commits to something then changes its mind.

OS and performance:

Chrome OS is what all operating systems should aspire to be, striking a good balance between a mobile and a desktop OS — and it runs Android Apps, to boot. Like a desktop OS, it allows you to open floating (overlapping) windows that can be resized. And it runs popular desktop applications like Microsoft Office. Chrome OS is very responsive (fast) on low-power Intel processors and has modest storage requirements.

iOS is a more polished tablet OS. Apple has been working hard to improve iOS on the iPad since the tablet debuted in 2010 and it shows. And iOS runs blazingly fast on Apple's A12X Bionic processor, which almost makes up for its lack of a trackpad/pointing device (to be rectified in iPadOS/iOS 13) and inability to run multiple floating windows.

Laptop mode:

Pixel Slate: the slate wins as a laptop replacement. Many critical productivity apps simply work better with a keyboard/trackpad and pointing device. Chrome OS running on the Slate with the keyboard can be used as a full-time laptop replacement as long as you're not wedded to applications that can only be run on Windows or the Mac.

iPad Pro: iOS 13 will offer mouse support this fall, which should make the iPad Pro a better laptop replacement than it is on iOS 12. Currently, on iOS 12, I can use the iPad Pro with the Smart Keyboard Folio as a full-time laptop if I'm in moderate productivity mode. That means I can go days (and I have) using only the iPad. It's when I need to do heavy-lifting productivity that I have to ditch the iPad and pick up a laptop because there are still annoying iOS quirks that make simple things hard to do.

Battery life:

Both offer good battery life but the iPad Pro wins here. While both can easily go all day, the iPad Pro can go for a couple of days (moderate use on and off over the course of each day). In standby mode (i.e., when it's idle) the iPad Pro uses remarkably little battery. It can sit for an entire day in standby and the power needle hardly moves. That's not as much the case for the Slate though it's much better than the typical Windows laptop at retaining battery when idle.

Keyboard:

Pixel Slate wins. The Slate keyboard is big and roomy and very easy to type on and has become one of my all-time favorite keyboards (i.e., easy on the fingers, good spacing between the keys and good travel). And the trackpad is responsive. That said, I've been pleasantly surprised by the iPad Pro's Smart Keyboard Folio keyboard. Despite the lack of a trackpad and pointing device, I can type on it for hours. You may want to brush up on your keyboard shortcuts, however.

Other:

—Speakers/sound: both the iPad Pro and Pixel Slate have great speakers with good bass and mid-range. The iPad Pro squeaks out a win, though.

—Display: both displays are outstanding (for what I do) and extremely bright. The iPad supports a wide color gamut (P3). The Pixel Slate supports 72% NTSC color. The iPad Pro gets the nod due to its wide P3 color gamut.

—Biometrics: the fingerprint sensor on the Slate is a big plus over the Pixelbook, which lacks biometric authentication. The iPad Pro's Face ID works well (tip: turn off “Require Attention for Face ID” in the “FaceID and Passcode settings” on the iPad to get more responsive Face ID, though turning it off makes it a little less secure.)

—On your lap: resting the Pixel Slate with the keyboard on my lap is fine except when I switch positions and try to use it with legs crossed, i.e., resting one foot on the knee of the other leg, a very typical sitting posture for me (and many people). Then it becomes awkward/unbalanced because it doesn't have a hard hinge but uses a flexible, soft material as a "hinge." The iPad Pro doesn't have that problem because of the stiff hinge.

Price:

Based on my recommended config for both tablets, the Pixel Slate is cheaper. The Slate, with config stated at top, is $999. Add the Slate keyboard and it's another $199. That's a total of $1,198.

The iPad Pro with config shown at top is $1,149*. The Smart Keyboard Folio is $199. That totals $1,348. (I’m not recommending the 12.9-inch iPad Pro config with 64GB of storage.)

Verdict:

The Pixel Slate is the better laptop. The iPad wins as a standalone tablet.

But with Google's stated intention to stop making tablets and Apple's iOS 13 for iPad (iPadOS) update coming this fall with mouse support, the iPad Pro with Smart Keyboard Folio is the better choice.

That said, I expect that Google will, in the coming months, fire-sale the Pixel Slate, making it an attractive buy.

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NOTES:

*My iPad Pro 12.9 also has 4G/LTE, which hikes the price to $1,299.